March 2011

March 27, 2011

No. 1 Kansas (35-2) vs. No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth (27-11)Time: 2:20 p.m. CTPlace: San Antonio Mascot Fight: Jayhawk vs. Ram. Not fair since a jayhawk is a fictitious bird. But the ram wins.Line: KU by 11Thoughts: The game is close provided VCU continues with its 3-point shooting so far in this tournament - 41-of-96, 42.7 percent. If the Rams are doing that, they can win this game. At this point, considering the caliber of teams VCU has defeated, how can you really doubt the Rams' run? Like nearly every other opponent VCU has faced in this tournament, Kansas is bigger, deeper, more athletic, should win. And Kansas should win. The Morris twins are the most dominant interior factors left in this tournament. No one left can matchup with them. VCU was out-rebounded 45-25 by Florida State in the Sweet 16. That figure will likely be duplicated today, or close to it.It all depends if Kansas starts to feel it, and has one of those bad games every team eventually does in a tournament run. This will be a closer game than people expect, primarily because VCU is going to play harder than any team KU has seen.Pick: Kansas by 3.

Oklahoma offensive tackle Jarvis Jones, a senior projected to be the Sooners’ starting right tackle, will be out for up to six months after undergoing surgery today to repair a torn right patella tendon.School officials said the injury occurred Friday during non-contact drills.

“We were in a team period and it just buckled on him,” said coach Bob Stoops, adding that he hopes Jones can return to the lineup by late September or early October. Jones played in all 13 games last season, with four starts.

I always knew Butler would do this. Never had a doubt.After barely losing in the title game last season, tiny Butler from Indianapolis has reached the Final Four. I really can't believe this. They are 9-1 in its last 10 NCAA tourney games.

No. 8 Butler 74No. 2 Florida 71 (ot)

All Butler does is win. Center Matt Howard had his worst game of the tournament, but so what? Guard Shelvin Mack really showed up, scoring 27 points, including a pair of free throws to provide the difference late. All credit to Butler. They are out-manned every game and just win because they know what they are doing and everyone plays painfully hard and tough.The bad kind of credit to Florida coach Billy Donovan. Trailing by 1 with 11 seconds left, Kenny Boynton launched a 25 footer for no reason. The Gators should have had a better look.

Who cares? The better team won. The better story won. How can you not love this team?

At the half of the Butler/Florida game and the team that should have no shot is in it. Of course.

No. 2 Florida 33No. 8 Butler 32

The Bulldogs trailed at one point by 10, and are being out-muscled underneath scoring wise, but they just keep doing enough to stay in this. Guard Shelvin Mack has 14 points, and is 3-of-5 from 3.Butler remains in the game despite getting next to nothing from center Matt Howard, who entered this game averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds in the tournament. In the first half against Florida, Howard has four points and three rebounds.Florida center Vernon Macklin is killing it so far; he has 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting.

Baylor’s defense responded with a vengeance in today’s second spring scrimmage, scoring three touchdowns and collecting eight sacks exactly one week after the Bears’ offense dominated the team’s first scrimmage in Waco.

Baylor’s three quarterbacks threw for a combined 510 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, led by starter Robert Griffin III (16-of-22, 200 yards). But that figure was down significantly from the previous week, when Baylor’s quarterbacks combined to throw for 993 yards and seven touchdowns, with just one interception.

Bears’ defenders found the end zone today on two fumble returns, as well as a 34-yard interception return by linebacker Elliot Coffey. Defensive end Willie Jefferson, a converted tight end, contributed a team-high three sacks and the defense finished with 11 tackles for losses.

Baylor coach Art Briles praised the defensive improvement, saying his defenders “did a really good job of coming out … and playing with a lot of intensity.”

Texas defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said he is “pleased with the progress so far” in implementing his new defensive scheme, heading into the Longhorns’ final week of spring football drills.

Texas caps its spring session with an April 3 spring game in Austin (2 p.m., ESPN).

Diaz weighed in on several topics after a recent workout, including the fractured foot suffered by LB Jordan Hicks, a probable starter who is expected to be fully recovered by the start of fall drills.Asked about Hicks, Diaz said he five-star signee from the team’s 2010 recruiting class was having “a fabulous spring” and a player who “has the respect of the entire football team.”

With Hicks out of the linebacker loop for the rest of spring drills, that has created more practice snaps for LB DeMarco Cobbs, another heralded 2010 signee. Cobbs, a Parade All-American who played multiple positions on offense and defense at Tulsa’s Central HS, is new to linebacker but Diaz _ who also is the position coach for linebackers _ described him a “tough,” “smart” and someone who “doesn’t back down from challenges.”

“Without a doubt, his athleticism is what we want on our defense,” Diaz said.

Players envision Diaz calling more blitzes than predecessor Will Muschamp, especially by a linebacker corps that returns veterans and team leaders Emmauel Acho and Keenan Robinson.

Here is a correction to an earlier post, which passed along information from a published report in the Austin American-Statesman about a recent raise given to Texas defensive backs coach Duane Akina.

Texas spokesman John Bianco confirmed today that Akina's raise to $400,000 per year was approved before he left the school in Janaury and spent a month on the staff at Arizona. It was not a byproduct of his decision to return to the Texas staff in February. When Akina returned in February, he returned to the same salary level that had been approved in January, which included an $81,000 bump from his 2010 salary.

Akina took the job at Arizona in January, was temporarily replaced by Jerry Gray, then returned in February when Gray left to become defensive coordinator of the NFL's Tennessee Titans. Akina has since added the title of co-special teams coordinator to his job description for the 2011 season.

Texas caps its spring drills with an April 3 spring game in Austin (2 p.m., ESPN).

No. 8 Butler (26-9) vs. No. 2 Florida (29-7)Time: 3:30 p.m. CTPlace: New Orleans Mascot Fight: Bulldog vs. Gator. I don't like the canine's chances in this. But I don't exactly seeing a bulldog giving up, either.Line: Fla. by 3Thoughts: How Butler reached this Elite 8 is more impressive than last season's tourney run. The Bulldogs do not have Gordon Hayward. Butler forward Matt Howard, provided he doesn't get into foul trouble against Florida's front line, will be a lot to deal with. He's a senior who knows how to do things. How to score. How to shoot. How to screen. Butler guard Shelvin Mack's jump shoot must be falling today for Butler to win this. Florida has more athletic size, and 6-10 forward Chandler Parsons will likely be the difference. Florida's guards aren't consistent, but if Butler can't handle Parsons, and most teams can't, this is the one matchup the Gators can exploit and win.I don't know how you can't pick Florida. The Gators are deeper. They're faster. They're bigger. More athletic.But it's Butler. At this point, do you think the Bulldogs will actually lose?Pick: To keep with my wretched streak of picking games, especially involving Butler, Florida by 4

March 25, 2011

Kansas better be careful. Virginia Commonwealth is beginning to have a very George Mason-y type of feel to it. And regardless of how many media dorks such as myself complained about VCU's inclusion to the 68-team field, we love this.

Even after a few days off they are still shooting the ball well, and beating all of the big teams. The Rams should have won, should have lost, and then won.

No. 11 VCU 72No. 10 Florida State 71 (ot)

This is the first Elite 8 appearance ever for VCU. The Rams will play KU for the Final Four berth. VCU has no chance against a bigger team, etc.

I don't know how this happened, but Florida State somehow left the one player it absolutely could not leave alone uncovered in the final seconds for a wide open layup. Trailing by 1 and inbounding the ball under the basket, VCU patiently waited before passing the ball off the baseline to a cutting Bradford Burgess for the game-winner with 7.1 seconds remaining. FSU's last second attempt was actually blocked.How did FSU let this guy loose? He was the only one beating them. Burgess scored 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-7 from 3. VCU shot 12-of-26 from deep; that is the most 3s FSU has given up all season.That is the only way it was in this game. The Noles out-rebounded the Rams 45-25, and had six blocks.

FSU forward Chris Singleton scored 16 points, but five of those were rather big. He hit in a decently long 3 with 46 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game. With 30 seconds remaining in overtime, he drove the baseline and dunked it for the lead.

At that point it felt like an FSU win.And it should have been had Burgess not given the Noles the slip to the Elite Eight.